Colorado Supreme Court goes back to school – in Evergreen

It’s not every day you hear Colorado’s highest court referred to – repeatedly – as “you guys.” But it’s not every day that the Colorado Supreme Court holds oral arguments in a high school.

Thursday’s arguments, part of the Courts in the Community program, were at Evergreen High School. After the cases were heard students had a chance to ask questions of the attorneys, and then the justices. The justices, more accustomed to being addressed as “your honor” or “the court,” took being called “you guys” in stride, and they and the attorneys shared some interesting tidbits:

*** Asked by one young woman whether it was harder for the female justices to obtain their positions, Justice Nancy Rice – the senior female on the court – said “I suppose each one of us would have a slightly different story.” When Rice went to law school in the 1970s, only 10 percent of the class was female. Justice Monica Marquez, the newest member of the court, said by the mid-90s her class was about 50/50. Justice Allison Eid recounted a story former Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey once told her: that when she became a judge, they didn’t have robes made for women.

*** Mario Nicolais, attorney for the Senate Majority Fund and Colorado Leadership Fund (527s that were parties to the day’s second argument) told students he spent between 60 and 70 hours preparing for the case. Ethics Watch Executive Director Luis Toro agreed – eliciting audible gasps from the students, some of whom probably instantly decided against law school. Nicolais also encouraged one aspiring lawyer to find a mentor, saying Secretary of State Scott Gessler – who had the case before he was elected and Nicolais took over – had been a wonderful mentor to him.

*** One student asked Chief Justice Michael Bender how he became the chief justice. Bender jokingly replied: “The others made a mistake.”

Justice Alex Martinez had a chair at the table, and a nameplate, but Martinez did not participate in this week’s arguments. That’s because his last day on the court is Monday. After that, he’ll take over as Denver’s manager of safety.

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